It’s the last straw for one-use plastic as Canary Wharf Group begins its ‘breaking the plastic habit’ campaign.

Food retailers in the business and shopping district are being urged to join the campaign being launched on tomorrow’s World Environment Day.

“The impact of the campaign could be huge in our attempt to break consumer habits once and for all,” Canary Wharf Group’s Steve Greig said. “We are working to eliminate straws as part of our battle against single-use plastic.”

All restaurants, bars and coffee shops are being asked to stop serving plastic straws for three weeks, in the ‘#3Weeks’ movement which is the time it takes to change a habit, according to behavioural research.

The breaking the plastic habit campaign recognises global pollution and follows an EU announcement that single-use plastics such as cotton buds, cutlery and straws could be banned across much of Europe.

Alternatives to the plastic straw are being suggested such as paper or biodegradable plastic. The ‘#3weeks’ move is Canary Wharf’s first campaign in its wider 12-month plastic strategy to pilot new technologies and innovations to remove the need for single-use plastics.

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